[might contain spoilers] A little confused about the storyline..

I've been reading Air Gear for awhile now, and I seem to be a little bit confused about the storyline and how things work.. (blame it on the manga's extensive use of metaphors )

So, got a few questions here (actually I've got a lot, but i'll just ask the things I can remember now lol):

btw, I've read up to chapter 257, so feel free to tell me whatever have happened up to that chapter (kogarasumaru vs sleipnir battle).

1. So basically we have two opposing teams now, Genesis and Sleeping Forest (SF). Genesis' aim is to make use of the sky regalia (for what?), while SF's aim is to prevent them from obtaining the sky regalia.. because they think AT's are just a tool to help people gain freedom, and people can actually 'gain freedom' without ATs. In SF's point of view, the regalia just sparks battles (which stain the sky) because people want the regalias out of greed.

Am I right up to this point (someone tell me whats the purpose of Genesis please?)? If someone could provide me with a general overview why these teams are battling it'd be greatly appreciated lol. I'm sooo lost.

2. So between these two teams, where is Kogarasumaru being positioned? Obviously Ikki is the storm king and he wanted to obtain the sky regalia, but how come he ended up on the same side as Ringo (you know, when Rika was kidnapped by Sora and Ikki decided to help)?

3. what's the purpose of the gram scale tournament?

Sorry for the really long questions, but I hope u guys can help me. I like this manga and not knowing what is actually happening can get really annoying -___-

Thanks!!

PS. I might add more questions later if I remember... I had loads of questions but I couldn't seem to remember all of em hahaha

- a-t and grav kids were originally created for the purpose of solving the energy crisis as well as travel/colonization of space.

- the sky regalia is actually the technology that could control all a-t related technology (which is lots of stuff now). to be more precise, the suitcase in the arms of the dead scientist hanging deep in the tower has the codes and passwords to unlock the technology (part of which was guarded by falco; the skylink and chronos statue)

- sf was created to protect the sky regalia from everyone, but sora (the original founder) was actually intending on taking the sky regalia for himself.

- kiric stopped sora and the rest of old sf (who had sided with sora under the ruse of 'bringing freedom' to the world). new sf, under kiric continued to protect the sky regalia.

- sora and nike created genesis to take on sf and anyone else in their way to claim the sky regalia and world domination.

- koga is neutral in the matter of the sky regalia. they want to challenge the trophaeum tower simply to see how far they can go (they have no interest in the sky regalia). sf and genesis are simply stepping stones in koga's path to the 'rest of the sky/freedom'. due to personal reasons/relationships as well as the gst, koga is fighting sf and genesis.

- the gst came about because the tower has an automatic shutter release which leaves it vulnerable to having the sky regalia taken. sf started the tournament to fairly 'weed' out the 'unworthy', but new sf will stop anyone who actually does want the sky regalia. otherwise, its evolved into a tournament to prove who's the best amongst the riders/teams

- if sf and koga were to fight in the gst, its simply for fun since koga doesn't really care for the sky regalia (sf will only fight the teams who make it to the finals if they are after the sky regalia, otherwise they simply forfeit and/or act as referees to the final teams).

- koga is fighting genesis because innocent people and loved ones were being threatened, like rika. if genesis didn't play dirty, then koga would treat them the same as sf and would simply want to beat them for the challenge

i thought genesis was interested in koga because of ikki is considered as a potential for a sky king? ikki was told that so obviously he wanted the sky regalia right? but then the incident in the tower happened, where kilik dismissed him as the sky king.. am i right? why did he get dismissed as sky king? i got kinda lost there..

- as a result, a new genesis is created led by sora and nike, and koga is no longer allies with genesis. so in short, sora was just using ikki as a tool to get to the sky regalia?

- so after ikki realizes genesis' actual reason to obtain the sky regalia (world domination), ikki is no longer interested in the sky regalia, thus eliminating SF as koga's enemy?

- genesis was looking for a wind king, but sora was only using ikki as a decoy. simca and spitfire had a change of heart and had hoped ikki could have truly taken over of genesis.

- kiric was testing ikki's abilities as the new wind king, but he was also trying to determine what ikki was after... he presented the truth and see what ikki was gonna do from that but sora called in and interrupted this so kiric dismissed ikki.

- ikki was never interested in the sky regalia. he was only ever interested in challenging the trophaeum tower (gst).

- koga was only considered a huge threat because they were 'in command' of genesis as given to them by simca. sf knew that genesis was after the sky regalia. koga became 'neutral' in sf's eye when sora took over genesis and booted koga/ikki from the team.